Flying suit



July 3, 1945. 1'. J. SELLMEYER FLYING SUIT iled April 17, 1944 2 sheds-sheet 1l f f -lwl July 3; 1945. 1'. J. SELLMYER FLYING. SUIT Filed April 17.. 1944l 2 sheds-sheet 2 .'for use by aviators when flying at vtudes and to help them withstand vthe'pressures y -dueto high-speed acrobatic maneuvers.'

` this character of simple tion,rv which is eicient and reliable in performance brokenv away and shown Patented July 3, 1945 UNITED N, STATES I OIFICEf/ f, @sugary ]FLrINGsUIrvv Thomas; sl'lmeyeii, Glasgow, Ma"

j i-Application April 17, 1944, seria1fNo. 5s142s y ,f4 Claims. (01,' 12s-1)", f,

' The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in flying suits designed primarily extreme altiimportant object of the invention is to prov1de means for producing a progressive massaging higher altitudes for longer periods and to endure greater pressure. j

A further object is to provide a flying suitof and practical "construcand otherwise well adapted which the same is intended;

Other objects and advantages reside in the for'the purposes` 'for 'details of construction and operationy as more fully hereinafter described and claimedrefer'ence being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer-to like parts'throughout and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view withparts in section, Y Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on a line 2-`2 of Figure 1, f

Figure s is an enlargeddetan of one ofthe nap valves, I

on a line 4&4 of. Figure 3, Y y

VFigure 5 is a sectional View taken. throughone of the flap valves,

Figure 6 is a sectional view through therotary air control valve, Figure 7 is a diagram exhaust system, and

Figure 8 is a reduced rear the ying suit. y

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment `of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the ying suit generally,

of the air supply and adapted to include the body, legs, shoulders randelevational view ofA effect upon theV body, arms and legs of the aviator 'whereby to cause an increased circulation of the blood and enabling the aviator to remain at tially extending.

cured flexible 'airpassages:'Iv I whichA extend ver'- ti'callyffalongfeachfside ofIthe suit',the;sid'e pas'- `sages Il being connectedby 'a transverse passage -fI2-*extending across the ba'ck yofthe 'suit-and an air intake-conduit lI3fcommunicateswith lthe passages`II and 'I2v. 'Y i f `A1 passage I4--also extends upwardly from the transverse passage "I 2 and branches tat its `upper f-I I communicate withif'the-'lowermost air chamber I llby means ofopenin'gs I B and' the lower Vportion Figure 4 1s asectional view taken substantially of the passageslf'communicate with the airy `arm section by `means ofeopen-A TheLweb-sll 'separating vthe air chambers I0 are vprovided with nap "valves I 8 shown in `detail in Figures 3 -`and 4 of` thel drawings vto control vpassage-orthe'airthrough the-:openings I9 formed in the Web.

Each of the valves"'includes a rigid plate 2 0 secured tothe web 9-by means of rivets'2'I orthe uka'uie pia-terzo having-openings 2z registering with the-:openings I 9 of the web.: Flanges 23 vrrise from the'opposite sideedges of the plate 20 Aand Y 'in' which shafts 24 are journalled having a'sleeveA 25vl freely rotatable thereon. A lug 26 connectsthe valve I8 to thesleeve.

Freely mountedfon the sleeve 25 is a coilspring 21 having its intermediateportionloearingagainst K thelug 26 and its" end `portion secured respectively in a flange 28 and a gear '29 secured on' the:shaft at the opposite end of the sleeve. The tension of the spring 21 is adjusted by means of a worm 30 f engaging the gear 29, the worm being secured on a shaft 3| extending outwardly of the `suit` through the external air passages II, I4., or I5, as the case may be, the outer end of the shaft 3l having a manipulating'handle 32 enclosedv in a flexible case 33 secured to the outside of the external air passages, the case33 having a zipper fastener 34 thereinto provide access to the handle 32 `for adjusting the valve.

Air admitted into the intake end I3 of the air Y passages will travel in the direction as shown 'by f the arrows in Figure 1 of the drawings and will pass through the opening Iand ,I1 into the low- I* ermost air chambers I IlofA the arms and legs and when a .predetermined air pressure enters saidV lowermost air chambers the valves I8 on the adjacent air chambers will be forced open and air then admitted into said adjacent chambers. The passage of the air will progress upwardly into the next succeeding air chamber as the air pressure is built up in the lower chamber. 1 f

Air is similarly admitted into the chambers formed in the body and shoulder portions of the suit by means of valves i8 in the passage I4. Air under pressure is supplied to the air intake I3 of the external passages by means of an air pressure supply system illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings.

Electric motor 35 drives pump 3IV which takesair from the atmosphere, compresses it and delivers it into tank 31, which can be made of any light material as pressures will not be highand are controlled by relief valve BI). Pressure is intended to be from 15 to 20 pounds per sq. zin.

The air then travels through pipe 39 to the valve casing 40. This valve casing 4B is tted with three ports 51, 58 and 59.

The rotating disk valve 4I is fitted with an elongated port 44 and is driven by an electric motor 42 at a predetermined speed through the reduction gear 4.3. This speed is controlled by a conventional rheostat.

As valve 4I rotates, port 44 passes over iirst port 51 connecting pipe 39 with conduit 45 allowing air to pass through conduit 45 to manifold 5I, 52 and 53 leading to inlets No. 13 in three respective suits 'if rso many suitsare desired. Each line 5I, 52 and 53 feeds a separate suit.

As valve 4I continues to rotate port 51 is closed and 44 makes contact with 58 connecting branch line 41 with .breather line 4E allowing air to pass through manifold 54, 55 and 56 to a pipe 46 in the three respective'suits and leading to the interior of the suit to ventilate the same.

' As valve 4I continuesto rotate both 51 .and 58 ports are closed, the suit now being filled with air, and port 59 is contacted connectingline 49 with line 5u allowing the air to escape back through the flap valves in channels II and I4, through inlet `I3 and .manifoldsLfSZ and 53 and then through 49 and 50 to the free atmosphere. The cyclelis then repeated.

Airis discharged from the chambers 8 and l0 in the 'leg and body portions back into the passage'A I IV by way of nap valves 6I for recirculation when pressure is released in the passage II by the rotation of the valve 4I to close the port 51, the napvalves 6I being closed by pressure in the passage II.

flap valves Bland 63 are provided for the passages I4 and I5. r

Having thus described theinventionl what I claim is:

l. A flying suit comprising an outer covering of inelastic material, a lining of elastic material, webs spacing the cover material from the lining and forming a, plurality ofv adjoining annular air chambers therein, means for supplying air under pressure to the air chambers, and valves between each adjoining chamber controlling communication between the air chambers to successively admit air thereto.

A2. A flying suit comprising an outer covering of inelastic material, a, lin-ing of elastic material, webs spacing the cover material from the lining and forming a plurality of air chambers therein, extending circumferentially of the suit, an air passage communicating with one of the chambers,

valves in the webs controlling communication between the air chambers and responsive to a predetermined air pressure to successively admit airl from said one chamber to the remaining chambers, air exhaust valves between the chambersand. the air passage, and means for intermittently supplying and exhausting air to the air passage. y

3. A flying suit comprising an outer covering of inelastic material, a lining of elastic material, webs spacing the cover material from the lining and forming a, plurality of air chambers therein extending circumferentially of the suit, an air passage communicatingr with one of the chambers, valves in the webs controlling communication between the air cham-bers and responsive toa predetermined air pressure to successively admit air from said one chamber to the remainingchamber, air exhaust valves between the chambers and the air passage, spring means for closing each of said valves, means for adjusting the tension of said spring means, and means for intermittently supplying and exhausting air to the airv passages.

4. A iiying suit comprising an outer covering of inelastic material, a lining of elastic material, Webs spacingthe cover1 material from the lining and forming a plurality of air chambers therein extending circumferentially of the suit, an air passage communicating with one of the chambers, valves in the webs controlling communication between the air chambers and responsive to a predetermined air pressureto successively admit air from said one chamber to the remaining chamber, air exhaust valves between the chambers and the air passage, spring means for closing each of said valves, means operable outwardly of the suit for individually adjusting the tension of the spring means for the respective valves, and means for intermittently supplying and exhaustingair to the air passages.

THOMAS J SELLMEYER. 

